The DeSeo Prophesy: Blame it on prophesy
by Elliebunk
Summary: Buffy goes to LA after finding the remnants of a prophecy concerning her. The problem? The only other copy of the prophecy is in the offices of Wolfram and Hart. Complete summary inside. set after BTVS season seven and ATS the Girl in Question
1. Of Crypts and Blond Vampires

**Title** The DeSeo: blame it on prophecy.

**Summar_y:_** Buffy goes to LA after finding the remnants of a prophecy concerning her. The problem? The only other copy of the prophecy is in the offices of Wolfram and Hart. When Buffy, Willow, Dawn, and Andrew arrive unannounced and unexpected, they start to notice some strange things happening around them, and the only Scooby who knows what's going on isn't telling. Between the hushed conversations, and Angel disappearing at a moment's notice, Buffy's also been sensing something… familiar.

Things continue this way for a few days, without any understanding why, until one night, up late watching willow, dawn, and Andrew research, Buffy spots a familiar bleached blond head walking down the halls….

Everything after 'the Girl in Question' never happened. And Fred's not Illyria.

**Disclaimer:** I can't claim any of it. Joss is mean, he keeps saying stuff about how he "owns" _Buffy _and _Angel_, how I can't "claim them", and how he won't "let me make any money off of them". I do own Spike, though. Well, I own a life-size cardboead stand-up of Spike, it looks just like the real thing.Joss is just jealous. Bloody ponce.

**Chapter One: Of Crypts and Bleached Vampires**

Buffy was patrolling. Yeah, there may be hundreds of slayers in the world now, she may be long overdue for retirement, be in a different country, and one of the two head's of the new Watcher's council, but the patrolling part, that tended to stay the same.

Walking through the dark streets of London, Buffy couldn't help but think how different it was from Sunnydale. No Hellmouth, for one. A lot less vamps, too. But thinking about Sunnydale was something she tried to keep to a minimum. When they had first left, she thought about it constantly. She'd have nightmares about it, about how it ended. Standing there as the walls tumbled down around her, watching Spike die… Spike. That was the reason she wouldn't allow herself to think of it much. Thinking about Sunnydale always led to thinking about him. And that hurt too much. Things weren't the same without him. Patrolling was now a chore, going to clubs was boring, eating seemed unnecessary, living a task… She'd gone out with other guys since Sunnydale, she'd even gone out with another vampire who called himself 'The Immortal', but none of them lasted very long. None of them were him. _'Stop it, Buffy_!' She mentally chided herself. She'd promised herself that she'd try to forget, try to move on, but she never would if she kept thinking about him.

" I _really_ need to kill something." She muttered, heading toward the cemetery, slaying always made her feel better. Of course, now that there were so many slayers around. Actually _finding_ something tended to be a little bit harder than it used to. Right as she entered the cemetery, she noticed a horned figure heading into a crypt. " Wow, Looks like all my dreams are coming true." She spoke to herself, a smile on her face as she headed toward the same crypt. "let's bag me a baddie."

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"**BLOODY HELL**!"

"Oh, quit whining!"

" _OW_!"

"it doesn't hurt that bad."

"YES, it bloody does! I told you to use the sweet 'n' low! OW!"

Fred leaned back from the sink, where she was currently holding Spike's head under water. Well, actually, it was just a faucet, but she was seriously considering filling the sink and attempting to be the first person to successfully drown a vampire. When she had agreed to help Spike bleach his hair, she had no idea he was going to be so whiny.

"Ow! This Stuff never hurt when I added my bloody sweet 'n' low to it, but you 'just couldn't see the point in wasting the sugar'! Well, it's not a waste if it saves my brains from bein' fried! Can we please get this stuff offa my head, luv? My hair'll fall out!"

Fred sighed, exasperated with the complaining vamp. "Spike, it's coming out! So just quit whining, okay? And as for frying you brain cells, after almost thirty years of doing this, don't you think most of them would be dead already?"

" 'Ey!"

"Well, really. No-one with a very high I.Q. would go around pouring peroxide and sugar on their head!"

"Its not _rea_l sugar, luv. It's that fake stuff for fat people and the one's with the messed up blood sugars."

"It's still weird. Can't you just but a kit like everyone else?"

" I don't like 'em. They smell funny. An' that stuff _really_ burns!"

Fred turned off the water and handed him a towel. "There you go, Next time you need help, ask someone else." Spike smiled at herm, water dripping from his head. "Thanks, pet. I'll make it up to you, k? Promise." Spike put on his truthful, serious face, and Fred felt her annoyance fade. What girl could stay mad at that face? Fred smiled back. " Well, okay. As long as tour way of making it up to me doesn't involve alcohol, singing, nudity, or blood."

Spike looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, come on, now. Those are the only ways of havin' fun. I've got to have at least the alcohol and nudity, luv. I'm quite good with both, you know." He replied, raising his eyebrows. Fred blushed as images popped into her head. _'Okayway past time to go_!' "I-I'll see ya later, spike." She stuttered. She forgot that how long periods of time alone in the same room with Spike usually led to her having not-good fantasies and stuttering a lot. With a wave of her hand, she hurried toward the door and left.

Spike smiled after her. She was a nice girl. Crazy, but nice. Reminded him a bit of Red. '_No, no thinkin' about willow_.' Because thinking of willow led to thinking of the scoobies, which led to thinking about Buffy… _'And thinkin' about Buffy leads no-where good for you. Just a night of drinkin and brooding, _Way_too reminiscent of the Great Poof. NO.' _Spike sighed, heading over to the couch. Fred had found him the first season of 'Passions' on DVD, and he was determined to finish it within a week. Besides, 'Passions' helped him to stop thinking about Buffy, at least until the credits rolled. There was nothing like watching other people's problems to get your mind off you own.

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"Ugh!" Buffy cried, flying into the wall of the crypt. After driving her sword through the demon's head, it had exploded, sending her crashing against the wall. ' _No, not against_ _the wall_,' she thought, looking down at the crumbling wall around her. '_Through_.'

"What the hell?' looking around her, she saw that she had landed in a secret compartment in the crypt. '_Man, I'm really wishing that I had had the time to ask that demon a couple of questions before kicking his ass. From the looks of this place, he was either guarding this place or about to steal from it_.' And for some reason, Buffy didn't think that he was the thieving kind of demon.

On the wall to her left were some really old swords and a golden cross, whose bottom was mad of whittled wood. "Look, it's a holy stake. A two-in-one kinda deal." She looked to her right, where on a single shelf stood a box.

Standing up gingerly, Buffy winced at the pain in her left knee. 'Okay, definitely sprained. Shit" Buffy walked over to the box and tried to life it's lid. Locked, but not well. Grabbing the nearest piece of rubble, she beat it against the hinges until they broke. Smiling to herself, she opened the box from the other end.

Looking inside, she was an old scroll, which was well on its way to deteriorating. Unrolling the top very carefully, she was that it sure wasn't in English, which meant she would have to recruit the nearest smart person she knew. " Well, looks like Giles isn't getting any sleep tonight." Placing the box beneath her arm, Buffy gathered the two swords and cross and headed back to council headquarters, hoping that everybody was up for another fun research party. Besides, sleep was overrated anyways.


	2. The thing about prohecies

**Disclaimer: Yeah, big mean Joss hogs it all, as usual. It's not mine.**

England, 3:15 am

Giles woke at the insistent sound of knocking on his door. '_Who the bloody hell would be_ _knocking at such an un-godly hour?_' he thought, glancing at the clock on the bed stand. Groaning, he pulled himself out of bed and walked toward the door.

"I'm coming!" He called out, entering the living room."This had better involve an apocalypse or the return of God to be getting me out of bed like this!"

" How bout the coming of Scoobies and coffee?" a voice called from behind the door.

"Buffy!" Giles exclaimed, unlocking the door. He opened it to find Willow, Dawn, and Andrew. Looking like they were going to fall asleep where they stood, and one very chipper Buffy bearing coffee and donuts.

"Buffy, what is it? Are you injured? Apocalypse?" Giles asked, ushering them all inside.

"No," replied Buffy as she set down their breakfast on the coffee table in the living room,

"It's a research party!" Giles stared at her, his sleep-deprived brain unable to comprehend what she was saying.

"What? You woke me for research? Now?" He replied incredulously. Willow looked up at him, tiredness in her eyes.

"Not just you, ALL of us. I don't understand it. I just know research and donuts."

"Yeah," whined Andrew, fidgeting around.

"And besides, it takes like a super huge vanilla-caramel macchiano to get me up in the mornings, and that's just regular coffee. It tastes funny."

Buffy stood up, looking at them all like they were crazy.

"Hey people, I said we need to research! And for me to say we need to research, you know that it's gotta be important. I mean, I'll take sleeping over looking at moldy old books any day, but this is special. I can almost promise." She finished. Giles sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"What are we supposed to be researching, now?" He asked.

"Well," Buffy started, plopping down on the couch next to a sleeping Dawn.

"I was fighting this demon in a crypt in the cemetery about two blocks from here, and after I killed it, it kinda BLEW UP and THREW me into a wall. OH! And the wall had a secret compartment in it and then I found theses." She said quickly, opening her duffel bad to reveal the swords and cross. " And on the other wall was this box-thingy." She told them, pulling out the battered box. Giles raised his eyebrows at its condition.

"It wouldn't open." She explained sheepishly, handing it to Giles.

"There was this scroll inside of it, but I couldn't read it. It seemed important. The demon I fought, he didn't seem like your average, run-of-the-mill bad guy' he seemed like he was there to guard the crypt or something. Course, I didn't think of that when I was fighting him, I just kinda, fought him." She finished with a shrug, bouncing up and down on the couch.

Willow stared at her.

"Buffy, how much coffee have you _drank_? She asked worriedly.

"Oh, two cups regular and Andrews Meccachino-whatsawhosit, but with _three _extra shots of espresso." She answered Andrew looked at her indignantly.

"First off, it's a MACCHIANO. And second: _hey_! I'm all sleepy and grumpy because you decided to drink my delicious macchiano? That's so unfair!"

"Will you all be quiet?" Giles exclaimed.

" Now, Buffy, where did you get this scroll? What crypt?" Buffy looked at him, noting the graveness of his face.

" Um, it was the Santini Crypt, I think." Giles blanched, unable to hide his concern.

" Giles, what is it? Do you know what it ways?" Willow asked. Giles started cleaning his glasses.

"It's in Latin. Um, I—it's a prophecy, the DeSeo prophecy, really. It's been looked for everywhere but the most obvious of places: the crypt of DeSeo's sister, his most trusted friend. DeSeo was a-a seer. The last vision he had was of a future Slayer, who had passed certain trials, and of how she affects a coming apocalypse. He wrote it all down, lest something were to happen to him. There were many people who wanted that prophecy, to work it to fit their own will. DeSeo had it hidden, and called upon the Ko'arth demons; guardians from another dimension, to protect it from those who wanted it.

According to the legend, it was not meant to be found until certain events were in motion, and then only the one the prophecy concerned could find it. The one that the prophecy was meant for was the only person who could kill the demon, which leads me to believe that it must be you, Buffy."

Buffy smiled weakly, her coffee high seeming to have rushed out of her.

"So, another prophecy about me, huh? I usually don't like those kinds. They tend to end with me dead. Like that one from a couple months ago, where I bled to death saving that kid, remember Giles?" She shrilled, getting slightly hysterical.

"Buffy, please, you were only gone for about five minutes. We performed a healing spell and got you a transfusion and you were fine. You were gone much longer… before." Giles faltered. Then, remembering what he was talking about, he continued.

"And 'that kid', as you call her, is prophesied to save the world herself, you know."

Buffy looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"Giles, I've died three times. Three! I really don't wanna have to do it again for a long time. Please tell me that I don't have to do it again." By now the tears were running down her face. Willow moved over to her, and Dawn, now awake, put her arm around her waist. Giles sighed, looking around helplessly.

"I-I don't know, Buffy. There's so much damaged here that UI don't know. So far, what I've found though, doesn't see, terribly uplifting.

"Why?" Asked Dawn, her eyes wide with fear. "What's it say? Does something happen to Buffy?"

"I don't have the entire prophecy, so I really don't know." Giles shrugged,

"Well, what does the stuff you have say, Giles?" Buffy asked, her face a mask.

Giles looked down at the paper in front of him where he'd written down the translation of the text. Clearing his throat, he read:

"One who died thrice

Shall join the Destroyer

Bring the world asunder

Bring strength

The mortal

Brings death to…life

And bring the world…."

"What, Giles? Bring the world what?" cried Buffy.

"I don't know. That's all I have. From what I've read though, I doubt it's puppies and kittens. It sounds like the Slayer whose died three times will join some force of evil or another, bring chaos to the world, give him strength, making herself weak, which presumably, ends in the destruction of the world." He replied quietly.

They all sat silent, unable to comprehend.

"…But, Buffy wouldn't do that. She's good. She beats the bad guys, not helps them." Spoke up Andrew. Giles nodded.

" Yes, but there's so much damaged in this, we really have no idea what is missing."

"W-well, somebody's gotta have a whole translation, right? I remember reading about DeSeo in the Watcher's library. He made two copies, right? With guards at both of them." Dawn said. Giles looked up, hope in his eyes.

"Yes, yes he did. The Council must have some idea where the other copy is." Buffy stood up.

"so, there's another one somewhere? I can just go and kill another one of these demon guys and we can find out what it says?" Giles nodded.

" Possibly. I'll go over to the library right away. Andrew will be coming with me; it'll be good practice for him. I suggest the rest of you go get some sleep. I'll send someone for you once I find anything."

Buffy, Willow, and Dawn said their good-byes and headed for bed. Andrew stood next to Giles.

"So," he started nervously, "it doesn't look good, huh?"

Quietly Giles replied. "No, it doesn't."

"…So we're gonna research now?"

"yes we are," Giles answered, heading toward the door, " and we're not going to stop until we know something."

England, 6:00 am

Knock, knock, knock. "Miss Summers? Mr. Giles wishes to see you in the library, if you please."

"Augh! Go away!" Buffy yelled.

"Um, Ms. Summers, Mr. Giles was really quite insistent. He says that it's regarding your discovery last night?"

Buffy climbed out of bed and pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt. "Stupid Watcher." She mumbled as she headed toward the door. "Couldn't discover something in another three hours?" Opening the door, Buffy saw the unfortunate Watcher-in –Training Giles sent to get her. The poor guy was practically shaking in his boots.

"Um, Mr. Giles thought you might like a-an escort to the l-library." The WIT (Watcher-in-Training) stammered. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"_Fine! _Just cause I got lost going there the last time; everyone assumes that I'm stupid or something! Lets go!" She grumbled, taking off.

"M-miss? It's this way." The WIT said, pointing in the opposite direction. Embarrassed, Buffy turned around.

"Fine. Lets go."

Looking up from the pile of books spread between him and Andrew, Giles saw Buffy, along with the bright and wager WIT he's sent to fetch her. Now, the poor man looked haggard, weary, and slightly shell- shocked. Actually, he looked a lot like Giles did usually.

' _Is that the effect she has on Watchers? We all come away looking like we've survived_ _years of torture?'_ He thought. _"Maybe I should've sent Andrew too._'

" Okay Giles, what'cha find? You know where' the other copy is?"

" Well, yes, I do." Giles replied, dismissing the poor WIT. "It also turns out there's more that one way to kill these demons. Apparently, very large _bombs_ get the job done as well, which is how the other copy was stolen."

Buffy paled. "What? By who?" She asked. Giles looked up at her, eyebrows raised.

"Wolfram and Hart."


	3. PASSIONate dunks and coldfooted Slayers

**Yeah, Joss sold me the rights to all things Buffy/ Angel...No, really. **

_Hey guys, sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I have no excuse... Well, I could come up with some really good ones if I wanted to, but a 'typing-phobia' and hand cramps don't really seem like they'd go over too well. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and I'm gonna try to have a new chapter up by tomorrow._

Chapter Three

Angel was pissed. What had he been thinking, relying on Spike like this? You'd think that after all these years; he'd remember what a self-centered. Lazy excuse for a vampire he was. But _no_, instead, he did the stupid thing and relied on him, again!

He hadn't seen the blond menace in the last day or two, though that wasn't anything too strange. But for Spike to miss out on maybe having to break a few necks, that was weird, and might just earn him a staking.

Barging into Spike's apartment, Angel walked into the living room and paused. Slouched down in his recliner, bottles of JD scattered around on the floor, sat Spike, staring at a blank TV.

" I finished season one." Spoke the drunken vamp, without looking up. " I gave myself a week to finish it, an' now it's done, in just a day." Spike laughed manically; his faced screwed up and the laughter turned to sobs.

Angel opened his mouth, prepared to chew him out for missing the divorce settlement he was supposed to supervise, but closed it quickly. He'd known Spike for too long, and he'd never seen him like this, not for Dru.

"Spike, what's going on?" He asked quietly.

"Well, Fred came up an' was helpin' me with ma hair, and I started thinking, ' she's a lot like ol' Red, all smart an' cute an' quirky.' But as usual, that led to thinkin' about Buffy, an' how she still thinks I'm deader than usual, an' how she's with the bloody Immortal. It's not even that I still luv 'er or anything, it's just that she's… _Buffy_.

Well, that led to watchin _Passions,_ hoping that it would take my mind off of 'er, but it wasn't working, so I thought that maybe drinkin at the same time would help, and it did, but them the bottle was empty, so I got another one, and another one, and another one, and then the season was over, an' all that was left was the bottle, and that wasn't enough to stop the thinking, so then I started to brood, like a bloody poofter! But I can't help it!" He rambled on. By now, the tears were flowing quite freely.

Angel couldn't help but stare; he was a mess. '_Way_ worse than I ever was' he realized.

"Look at me, I _am_ a poof! I never would be cryin or brooding if I still was evil! I would just killed 'er or something! Not _cry_ about it!" standing up abruptly, he stumbled toward the door. " That's what I need! I need ta kill something. Ya coming?" He asked as he headed out the door.

Angel stood there a minute, taken aback by the sudden mood swing. "Crazy vamp. Bleach must be frying his brain." He muttered before running out the door to find his emotional wreck of a grandchilde.

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A few hours later

" Um, Buffy? Just a quick question before we walk into the big bad law firm. You did tell Angel that we're coming, right? Cause I just think, walking into evil inc., a slayer, witch, and two WITs, unannounced; it could leas to trouble…and possibly not getting any help either." Blathered on Andrew nervously.

" Andrew, quit worrying. This is Angel's chance to prove that he's not evil and can be trusted. If he's good, he'll help, and if he's evil, we'll kill him. Besides, if we have to fight our way in and out to get that prophecy, we will." Buffy told him, walking up the stairs to Wolfram and Hart.

Reluctantly Andrew followed. She can say what she wanted, but all Andrew could thing about was Spike, and the If- you- tell- her- I'm- alive-I'll- rip- you- arms- offiness of him. 'This is not gonna end well." Andrew thought as he fell in step next to Dawn, who he thought was looking particularly pretty today. She kinda reminded him of Princess Leia. 'They're both brave, and have brown hair, and they talk really loud and stuff. That's so cool.' He thought, catching up to her. ' Jonathan would be so jealous."

"So, are you excited about your first official mission for the Watcher's Council?" he asked her. Dawn looked at him, confused.

" Andrew, how is Buffy making me come because she doesn't trust me enough to leave me home considered a mission?" She asked.

"Well," Andrew started, looking at her as if it should be obvious " Buffy's one of the heads of the Council, and she told you to come. That equals mission." Andrew tilted his head, getting into his reminiscent mode.

" I remember my first mission for the council. I was to come to this very building and retrieve a newly activated slayer; but first, I had to face the formidable Angel, Master Vampyre. He-"

"- Andrew, shut up." Dawn said, interrupting the starts of his monologue. Sometime during his captivating tale that had been told a few hundred times, they had arrived at the front doors of the law firm.

"Whoa, it's bigger than I remembered." Andrew breathed, eyes wide.

Buffy slowed down and hesitated at the doors.

"Um, Buff? You okay?" Willow asked worriedly, Buffy stared at the doors, answering quietly.

" What if he's evil again Will? I mean, I can put on a show for the others, and from half-way around the world it doesn't seem like that big a thing, but now, being here… I don't wanna have to kill him again. It's not that I still love him or anything, but… He's still Angel, y'know?" She turned to Willow, her face troubled, " What if I have to kill him again?"

Willow hugged her, knowing how she was feeling. A few months ago, Willow had to kill Kennedy. She had turned, working for demons who had kidnapped the girl who Giles had read a prophecy on earlier; who was later going to save the world. She had also killed Buffy.

Yes, she'd never loved Kennedy, but it was still one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do.

"Buffy," She whispered, still holding onto her " We're going to go in there, Angel won't be evil, and everything will be fine. If it not, we'll probably die before you can kill him, so you won't have to worry about it, k?" Buffy smiled in spite of herself.

" You promise?"

Nodding, Willow promised. Buffy took a breath and strode forward.

"All right guys," she called to Andrew and Dawn, "Let's go."

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"Well, I don't get why you had to stab the thing after I told you not to! Besides, you know it's one of those weird demons that you can only kill by mixing its saliva with silver or something like that. What's wrong with you?"

"Well, what else was I supposed to do, ask it to stand still so that I could stick a hunk of metal in its mouth? Yea, _that _would've gone over well!"

"Well did you have to stab it when I was _standing right there_? I'm covered in demon slime!"

"Yeah, and it's a right good look for ya, peaches."

-"Um, boss?"

"_What_Harmony?"

"I don't think you should-"

" Harmony, not now."

"But Boss, don't-"

"**WHAT?"**

"There's someone waiting for you in your office, and I don't think you should go in there!"

"Well, who is it? I've gotta go get this slime off of me, thanks to the bleached wonder over there, and-"

"It's Buffy!"


	4. Belly of the Beast

**sigh It's not mine, it's Joss'. meany.**

_Hey, I actually updated like I said I would. wow, maybe this'll be a new thing for me, huh? Well, anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter, it's a little short, but then again, most of them have been._

Chapter Four:

"Bloody Hell."

Angel stopped, his hand on the doorknob. He turned and looked at a white-faced Spike who was staring at the door like he was trying to see right through it.

"Spike?" Angel asked a little worried. Spike turned to face his grandsire.

"Don't tell her. I'm not ready to face her wrath when the bint finds out I'm back." He turned and started to walk away.

"Hey Angel? If the li'l wanna-be Rupert is in there, tell 'im that that my promise still stands. Unless he wants t'be runnin around with to stumps as arms he'll keep his mouth shut, al'right?" With that Spike got on the elevator and headed toward the lab, knowing that Fred would be the only thing to help him forget, at least for a little while, that the woman he had loved, the woman who had moved on as soon as he was dead, was sitting downstairs.

Angel sighed, envious of the younger vampire for being able to walk away. During the dealings with the crazed Slayer who had cut off Spike's hands, Buffy had made it perfectly clear what she now thought of him. He was the enemy. And with her here now, that could only mean something bad, as far as he was concerned.

Pulling himself together and taking an unneeded breath, Angel opened the doors to meet four pairs of eyes staring at him. Fining the green ones that he used to know so well, he spoke; "Hello Buffy."

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One of the first things that Buffy saw when she stepped off the elevator was a big, satany-looking demon in an Armani suit. Her Slayer instincts screaming at her to do her job, she walked past the demon, hands clutched at her sides to keep from snapping its neck.

The second thing that Buffy was Harmony Kendall, playing secretary behind a desk.

'This is a mission from hell; tons of demons I can't kill and Harmony.' She thought, leading her friends to the desk.

"Alright Mr. Handerton, I'll make sure he gets the message. Oh! And don't forget, racquetball at 4. All right, I'll tell him. Bye!" Harmony hung up the phone and greeted the people at her desk, not looking up as she wrote down the message.

"Hi! How can I hel- Buffy!" She exclaimed, seeing who was in front of her. Her eyes grew wide and she continued nervously.

" Look, I'm still evil, but I don't eat people anymore! I'm totally bagging it! Besides, I don't think Angel would be happy if you killed his assistant and S-" She broke off at the warning glance from Andrew, "SOMEONE,' she recovered, "might send security up, and then there's lots of paperwork and-"

"Harmony," Buffy interrupted, annoyed with her former schoolmate already, "I'm not here to kill you. I just need to see Angel."

"Oh!" Replied Harm, relieved. "Well, he's not here yet. He went to kill stuff with Sp- Splurge, his demon friend,"

Buffy just stared at her, wondering if she could possibly lose brain cells from just being within five feet of Angel's 'assistant'

"Um, Harmony, is it possible for us to just wait in his office or something?" Asked Willow stepping forward. Harm's eyes lit up at the sight of her.

"Willow! Wow, you so don't look like the dork you did in high school! You look great!" She exclaimed, oblivious to the double-sidedness of the compliment.

"Um, thanks Harm. But, the office-"

"Oh, right! Yeah, you guys can just go I right ahead, make yourselves comfortable. I'll tell him you're here as soon as I see him."

"Thanks Harmony." Buffy told her, walking towards Angel's office.

Once inside, Buffy couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Okay, this officially sucks! Tons of demons I can't kill, Harmony working as a secretary, and…Angel's got a nicer office than me!" Buffy whined. She plopped down on one of the couches at the end of the office.

"It's not fair." She muttered, her face looking all pouty.

"Well, look on the bright side, Buff. You didn't sell you're metaphoric soul for a pretty office, and you can still threaten people if you have to." Willow told her, trying her best to be helpful.

"Yeah," Chimed in Andrew. "Even if the evil lawyers have vamp- safe windows, really expensive furniture, priceless works of art…" He trailed off as he saw the glares the three women were giving him.

"Well, I remember being evil, and it definably had its perks. He defended himself.

Dawn sighed, rubbing her eyes. He was so annoying, and somehow, that just made him all the more cute.

' Y'know, I've really gotta do something about this. Thinking Andrew is cute? Wrong on so many levels.' She thought.

Buffy stood up and began pacing. This place creeped her out. And Angel was working here… No running the place! What did that mean? She looked at her friends, sitting around nervously awaiting Angel's return. 'They're just as worried as I am.' She realized.

"Guys, I know we're all worried about this trip, about Angel. But we can't let that show. This place is evil, and if they know how nervous we are, we're vulnerable to their attacks. I don't know what side Angel is on anymore, and I hate to think what it will be like if we have to go against him, but we just have to remember' We've been up against a lot worse that Angelus, and we've won. We can do it again." Buffy finished, looking over her team. Willow smiled up at her; this speech was a lot shorter that the rest, thank goddess.

"You're right Buff. I mean, last time we took on Angel, we were, what? 17? Look how far we've come since then. I say that if we can handle Dracula, Glory, and the First, we can handle An-' Willow stopped mid- motivational speech as the door opened and in walked Angel, covered in some kind of orange slime. He looked over all of them, his eyes landing at last on Buffy.

"Hello Buffy."


	5. Old flames and big bangs

_Disclaimer: see first chapter. nothing's changed._

Chapter Five:

"Angel."

The room was silent as the former lovers stared at each other. She looked good, Angel noted. Not as haggard and skinny as the last time he'd seen her. Buffy was pleased to see no trace of Angelus in him. Didn't mean he could be trusted, though.

"…so how are things? Did you say that you were coming? Cause I never saw it on my schedule…" Angel asked, awkwardly. He couldn't think of anything to say to her, which gave him a painful stab in his heart.

Buffy looked at him, hoping that the hurt she felt at his question didn't show. She needed an appointment to see him? Ouch. She took a breath before answering.

"I'm fine; great, even. I know it's kid of weird, us just showing up like this, but we need your help."

Angel perked up. Maybe things weren't so bad between them after all.

"There's a prophecy that concerns me, and your company stole the only whole copy that there is, and I'm gonna be needing it." Aaaand there goes that hope; torn and spread over an ocean of unfulfilled dreams. Sigh. Sometimes he really wished that someone else had to deal with this, even if it was Buffy.

" A prophecy? Well, that's easy. I'll have Wes call it up, get his team on it, and they should have it translated for you by'"

"Um, Angel?" Willow spoke up, "If you don't mind, we're gonna do the translating ourselves. We brought along most of the resources we need and inn a couple days, we should be done." Angel stared at her, finally understanding.

"You guys really think I've gone evil, don't you? I mean, distrust, I can understand, but **evil**?" He laughed bitterly, walking towards them.

" I came into this company, thinking about how much good we could do with their resources, how we could 'fight evil from within the belly of the beast', and _this_ is what happens? Naturally I expected some distrust, perhaps some worry, but I never expected you to think I was evil!" Angel looked into Buffy's eyes; the hurt lay open.

"I thought you knew me better than that."

" I couldn't be sure. But now we know." She answered simply.

"Still," Spoke up willow, "We'd like to do our own translating. Not because of you or anything," she added hastily, "But because of the other people, okay?" Angel nodded, not speaking.

"So, when can we start?" Asked Dawn, speaking for the first time.

" I'll talk to Wes, have him make arrangements. He'll bring you any books you'll need, help you find anything. I'll have an office set up and some bedrooms. Don't worry, no-one'll kill you in your sleep; I'll send out a memo." He finished sarcastically.

"Angel…thanks." Buffy spoke quietly, touching his arm. He nodded.

"I'll send Wesley in for you in a minute. Just…wait her for him." He told them before heading towards his private elevator. He needed a shower and a really big drink, and he REALLYdeserved them.

Fred looked up from her work to see a very miserable-looking Spike enter her office, holding a very large bottle of some form of alcohol or another in his hand. He plopped down in the chair in front of her desk and set down his bottle.

"Let's get pissed, you an' me." Fred looked at him questioningly.

"Spike, what's going on? Didn't you kill anything?" He looked at her, despair in his eyed.

"Buffy's here."

"Oh." Was all Fred could say. Of course she'd heard stories about the Slayer. Everyone told of how she saved their lives, saved the world, saved puppies and kittens and goldfish, or whatever was in mortal danger…. And Fred was a little sick of it. Plus, for some reason, hearing Spike talk about her always stirred up a little flame of jealousy somewhere inside her.

" You know, I was straight on my way of bein' over her, and the she shows up! How's a vamp supposed to move on when she's right here?" Spike ranted, reaching for his bottle. Fred reached it first, and moved it away from him.

"Spike, I don't thing getting drunk over her is gonna help anything. I mean, you tend to do some really stupid stuff when you're drunk, like the special 'Angel' shampoo bottle that was filled with Rogaine, or going off to eat that Xander guy now that you're corporeal again, or that time you thought the secret to a lifetime of happiness was to propose to Harmony…" Spike cringed, remembering.

"Fine. What am I supposed to do then?"

"I don't know." Fred said, thinking. "You could go to a movie or something. Play pool, go kill something…I suck at suggestions." She apologized. Spike smiled at her, leaning forward in his chair.

"Actually, luv, that movie idea sound like something I could do. But you're comin with me." Fred looked at him, surprised.

"Umm, why?" Spike hot out of his chair and reached for Fred's jacket.

"Because, you need a break, you're the only person I can stand to be around in this wreck, and because I'd look bloody pathetic goin to a movie by my lonesome." Fred smiled. She was _not_ going to turn thins into another Angle and the movie thing.

" Well, I wouldn't want you to look pathetic." She answered, slipping into her jacket.

"What are we gonna see?"

"Umm, what about Lord of the Rings?"

"I don't know. I was thinking maybe The Phantom of the Opera."

"Are you insane? I am **not **sittin through the soddin Phantom of the Opera! The book was enough. Besides, I don't so so well with musicals."

"Really? Why?"

"…Long story pet. So, Lord of the Rings, huh? I think you'll like it."

" I don't know. Isn't it a little violent?"

"Course not! There's elves, and hobbits, and cute lil' dwarves, and magic rings. **That** was a book I liked. You'll love it."

" You're not lying, are you?"

" What! Of course not!" Spike lied, leading her out the door, neither of the having a single thought of Buffy.

Andrew kept fidgeting around, becoming more and more nervous by the minute. He was in the same building as Spike; Spike who threatened to tear his arms off. He liked his arms, they helped him to hold things type, smoke his pipe, do…stuff. Anyway, the point was, he didn't want to lose them, but he had to tell someone. Everyone knew he couldn't keep a secret!

"Andrew!" Buffy yelled at him. "Can't you sit still for even a minute?" uh-oh, she looked mad. They hadn't even left Angel's office yet, and she was angry.

"Sorry, I think I had too much… coffee, or something." Buffy sighed.

"Dawn, will you take Andrew out for a walk? Make sure he doesn't get lost." Dawn looked up at her.

"What? I have to baby-sit the little freak?"

"Dawn…" Buffy warned.

Fine! But don't expect me to save him if some evil thing around her tries to kill him!"

" I never asked you to." Buffy called out to the retreating form of her sister.

Dawn walked toward the elevator, wishing she were still in Italy.

"Seriously Andrew, what's _wrong_ with you?" Andrew looked at her guiltily.

"I have to tell you something."

"Than tell me!" Andrew looked at her like she had two heads.

"Not here! There are eyes and ears everywhere, my young Padawan!" Dawn rolled her eyes; she hated when he called her that.

The elevator doors opened and Andrew pulled her outside. They had walked for about five minutes before Dawn lost whatever patience she had left.

"Okay! What is going on?" Andrew glanced around furtively before stopping.

"Okay. This is good,"

"Great!" yelled an exasperated Dawn, "now what's going on?"

Again the guilty look came over Andrew's face. The fidgeting picked back up.

"Um, remember when I came here on my first mission? You know, the crazy Slayer? Well, when I was here, I saw someone I wasn't supposed to see." Dawn looked at him annoyed.

"You went to that comic book convention that Buffy told you not to go to, didn't you?"

"**No**! Well, yeah, but I saw someone else, not just the great and powerful Hugh Jackman." Andrew replied, a dreamy look on his face. Dawn sighed. For being straight, he could get so gay.

"Andrew, if you don't tell me who you saw, I'm going to push you into traffic and say a demon attacked you. Who did you see?"

"Spike."

"**What!" **

Crap. He was so gonna die.


	6. The benefits of walking

_Disclaimer: see first chapter._

**AN: This chapter is a little short, sorry about that! What's there though, is fluffy, and that makes it fun!**

Chapter Six:

"…And the catapulting the heads across the wall, and the constant slicing and dicing, and the scary monsters, and the cute little guy getting his finger bit off, and the guy who-"

"Fred, we fight demons for a living, most of which are uglier and die bloodier than any orc in that movie. You've got to get over this violence thing." Spike told her, interrupting her rant on the violence of Lord of the Rings. Fred looked at him, unsure how to explain.

"Well, yeah. But we can kill our monsters. The cute little hobbity guys can barely fight back. It's mean. Putting them up against guys twice their size. They could get hurt." She told hi,. Spike sighed, exasperated. They'd been arguing about this for almost two hours, and he still didn't get her logic.

"Why do I always get the crazy birds?" He asked out loud. "Y'know. Even Dru made since after some deciphering, but I just don't get you. Maybe it's a smart thing, I dunno. Like your brain's lo big us normal folk can't comprehend what your sayin'." He joked. Fred was silent, felling hurt that he'd think she was crazy…still. She wasn't, she just didn't enjoy the violence like he did. Spike looked over at her, noting her silence.

"What's wrong?"

"You know, I was same enough to figure out a way to make to corporeal, even if you didn't use it, and I'm sane enough to have helped save the world a time or two, and hey, who was it who came up with the brilliant plan to get your mind off of Buffy? Oh crap." She said, realizing her mistake. Immediately a shadow fell across Spike's face. They walked in silence for a minute before he took her hand. Fred looked up at him, surprised. She hoped that he couldn't feel her pulse racing.

"I'm sorry, luv. You're right. I know you're not crazy; I was just teasing a bit. An' it wasn't the idea that got my mind off a' her, it was you. You always manage to cheer me up, just by bein there." He apologized, smiling softly at her. Fred smiled back.

"I cheer you up." Spike laughed.

"That you do, pet. It's impossibly for a fellow to be miserable around you; you make everything seem perfect. It's a wonder Angel hasn't lost his soul yet, bein around so much happiness." HE looked down at her, pleased to see her smiling. He was suddenly aware of how warm her hand was, how small it was inside his own. He was glad at that moment that his heart had stopped long ago, because if it hadn't, it would be beating out of his chest. He'd been fighting his attraction for her for months now, and with Buffy back and him a mess, it looked like nothing would happen for even longer.

"Spike?" Spoke Fred, interrupting his train o thought.

"Yeah pet?" he answered. Fred took a deep breath, gathering her courage. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Pulling back and smiling at his startled face, she told him,

"You make me happy too."

"What!"

"Um, Dawn? Maybe you should calm down or something."

"CALM DOWN? You just told me that Spike's alive! And not only alive, but HERE! In LA with Angel! Alive and well!"

"Well, actually, he was a ghost for a whi-"

"He didn't tell us! He let us think he was dead! That bastard!"

"Um, you're not gonna tell Buffy, are you? Cause Spike said he'd hurt me if I told, and he didn't look like he was kidding."

Dawn folded her arms and sighed. Andrew saw that her eyes were filled with tears. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her. She accepted the hug gratefully, needing a little comfort.

"It's okay. I know it's hard, thinking he was dead and then finding out he's not. I was a little sad that he didn't tell me too. But he's been through a lot, Y'know, with being as solid as Obi-Wan o Degobah and having to be around Angel and stuff… And he did try to come see you guys, him and Angel. They came to Italy, but you guys weren't home. Then he found out about the Immortal and got all sad."

"Wait, what" He came to Italy?" Dawn asked, pulling away from him (something she really didn't wanna do. He'd filled out in the last year. It was nice.).

"Why didn't you tell us?" she looked at him, feeling hurt. Andrew fidgeted around a little, not wanting to answer. He would rather hug her again. He got to touch her back, which was nice.

"Well, he said that he wanted to tell you himself, and that he'd do it when he was ready, and that he'd rip off… stuff if I told, and I didn't want to be dead." Dawn smiled at him through her tears.

"It's okay Andrew, I get it. I guess Spike had his reasons for not telling us, but I'd rather have known than spent the last year missing him. And don't worry, I won't tell anybody. Wouldn't want you to lose your…stuff." She joked, liking to tease him. Andrew blushed, wondering what Luke Skywalker would do in a situation like this. For the first time ever, he didn't know what the all-knowing Jedi would do. He was on his own.

"Um…do you want me to hug you again?" He asked. Dawn thought a second, wondering what the Scoobies would think. Then she remembered that what they thought was the part of the reason Buffy spent a year hiding her relationship with Spike and had been miserable_. 'Screw 'em.' _She thought, smiling at Andrew.

"I'd love for you to hug me again." She told him, stepping closer. Andrew quickly settled his arms around her, touching her back again.

"You should be sad more often." Dawn laughed.

"Or, we could just hug for another reason, okay?"

Andrew smiled into her neck.

"Okay."


	7. Pretty boys

_AN: sorry it's been so long since an update; I'll try and do better. Anyways, I'm adding more pairings, yay! They're a little strange, but I like them; hope you do too._

**DISCLAIMER: It's aaaaallll Joss'. None of it's mine. Not. One. BIT.**

Ch. Seven.

Angel rubbed his eyes as he walked into his apartment. Never had he thought a time would come when he didn't want to see Buffy, but it had. The love they had shared- the love that had caused him to lose his soul- was gone. They weren't the people they were then. He hardly knew the woman downstairs; his Buffy was gone.

He groaned as the phone rang. Evil couldn't shut up for even five minutes.

"Hello?" he answered gruffly.

"…Angel?" All irritability fled as he recognized the voice on the other end.

"Conner! Hi…uh, how've you been?" Angel sat on the couch. He and Conner had been on the couch. He and Conner had been on friendly terms since he got his memories back, but Angel still was surprised every time he heard from him.

"I've been good. School sucks. Finals are coming up, so everybody's stressed, and I've got this teacher I'm pretty sure is a demon, but besides that, no-one's tried to kill me or anything."

"Well, that's…good. Uh, so how are-"

"Listen, I know it's weird for me to be calling, since most of our conversations happen when you mysteriously show up right before an apocalypse or when someone gets really close to killing you, but I kinda have this problem, and since you know more about strange stuff than most people. I just figured you'd be the one to come to." Angel sat up, alarmed; weird stuff was supposed to stay away from his son.

"What kind of stuff? Demons, lawyers, a-a sudden thirst for blood?" He asked nervously.

"Um, dreams."

"Dreams."

"Yeah, I've been having these dreams, I guess. They're always the same; really violent and fast. They're just flashes of swords, blood, a girl, and some big demony thing."

"When did they start?"

"About a month ago. Almost every night."

"Okay, and the demon and girl- did you recognize either of them?"

"No. They go by too quick. But I know the girl's good. It's a feeling I get, you know? I can just tell she's not evil. And the swords- I want one. Every time I dream it, those swords are what stay in my head."

Angel sighed. Prophetic dreams. Everything he had done- coming to the company, lying to his friends; it was all to keep Connor safe, and now he was having prophetic dreams. He sure got screwed with that deal.

"Listen Connor, I think you should come talk to Wes about this. These sound pretty prophetic to me, and he knows everything about that."

"Yeah, sure. I'll drop by later today."

"Connor? Just…be careful, all right?"

"…After I talk to Wesley I'll come up to see you. Maybe we could go do something." Angel smiled.

"I'd like that. Have I told you that I can get front row seats to anything I want?"

"If I had known that, I woulda hit you up already." Angel laughed; this is the kind of relationship he had wanted all along, one where they could be friends.

"Listed, I'll come by in about an hour to talk to Wesley. I'll see ya soon."

"Alright, I'll tell him you're coming."

"Bye."

After hanging up, Angel made a quick call to Wesley to explain about Connor, and also to ask him not to tell Connor about his relationship with Buffy.

"It's not something he needs to know. I don't think he'd understand me staking his mom for her."

"I understand, Angel. But if someone slips and he does find out, how do you think he'll react then?"

"…"I'll tell him eventually, but now is not the time." He hung up frustrated that Wesley was right. He'd have to tell eventually.

Standing up, he headed towards the shower. Tonight, he was hanging out with his son.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"So all the texts are just in these books?" Willow asked. Now that was nifty; having every book you could ever need right at hand. She'd have to look into something like this for Headquarters.

She snuck a look at the ruggedly goodness that was now Wesley and blushed. Maybe she could get someone to help her set it up. Damn, if he had looked this good back in Sunnydale, Cordelia wouldn't have been the only one drooling over him. A year ago when she'd come to LA to help restore Angel's soul, she had been too caught up in Kennedy and the whole world-ending thing to really notice: Wesley was a hottie.

"Every text that is housed in any Wolfram and Hart branch. And there aren't many texts that aren't.

He leaned over her to retrieve one of the books on the table before her, and she couldn't help but catch a whiff of his cologne.. '_Stop it'_ she chided herself, 'you're_ gay remember? Gay gay gay gay gay gay gay…maybe bi.' _She thought as she caught a glimpse of a scar around his throat. Scars always did it for her.

Wesley almost dropped the book when his wrist touched her shoulder. When did she get so beautiful?

Buffy rolled her eyes at Willow and Wesley as the two fumbled and blushed every time they so much as looked at each other. There was some definite attraction going on; figures that the two smartest people she knew would end up digging each other. Things were weird like that. Who found a fling at an evil law firm, anyway? Yeah, the whole bad boy thing is fun for a little bit, but it never lasted.

Speaking of which, since when did 'bad boy' and 'Wesley' go together? Had it really been that long since she'd seen him? Maybe she just wasn't paying attention anymore, maybe-'_Hello, Mr. Tall, dark, and broody.' _She thought as a cutie walked into the office. He looked like her fantasy build- a –man order; Tall, dark shaggy hair, piercing eyes, broody, but with the potential for laughter; he was like a mixture of every boyfriend she'd ever had, including Kenny, her boyfriends in the second grade who was a member of the Star Wars, Star Trek, and popular mechanics fan clubs. Yes, she dated a nerd.

Wesley looked up as the guy came in, his glow from being next to Willow vanishing.

"Ah, Connor."

"Hey, Wes. Did Angel call you?"

"Yes, he mentioned something about dreams; he didn't go into great detail, he seemed a bit put out." Connor sat at the table and answered.

"Yeah, he seemed a little cranky when I talked to him earlier and,- hi, I don't know you. I'm Connor." He spoke to Buffy, his attention completely swayed.

"I'm Buffy." She replied with a smile. Whoa, that smile; he could tell right now that he was a goner. Why couldn't it ever be a woman his own age?

"A-and that's Willow." Buffy quickly introduced, pointing at the cute redhead. Willow waved.

"Hi Willow. So how evil are you?" He asked, turning back to Buffy. She raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I just have to ask, because I make it a point to stay away from people who are _too_ evil; so if you're just a little evil, that's no big deal. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm really hoping you say only a little." Buffy was charmed. He was weird, but he made it work.

Wesley, on the other hand, was not amused.

"She _not_ evil, Connor, she's a Slayer; _The_ Slayer, actually. Do keep your eyes in your head," Willow couldn't help but giggle; if he were any more Giles-y right now, he'd me cleaning a pair of glasses. Connor was surprised he didn't smell it; he could smell power, but had been too distracted to notice Slayer.

"A Slayer, huh? I like Slayers."

Oh yeah? How many have you met?"

"Just one, besides you. You're not like her much." Buffy leaned forward.

"Really? Is that a bad thing?" Connor smirked.

"I'm not sure yet."

Wesley sighed.

"Connor, what can you tell me about your dreams?" He rubbed his eyed. Connor stood up.

"Listen, I can tell you're busy showing Willow the books, so I'll just drop in later, okay?" He turned to Buffy. "You get a tour around this place yet?"

"Sure. From Angel's office, to a flight of stairs, to Wes' office. Great place. Connor smiled.

"You want one?" Buffy jumped up.

"See ya, Will. Let me know when you're done."

"So what do you wanna see? Library, lab, weapons testing?"

"Is there a cafeteria?"

Wesley watched the two walk away, forgetting completely what Angel had asked him to do. He turned towards Willow; she looked up at him and smiled. Oh yes, he could get used to this.


End file.
